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VOTING MACHINE WITH MECHANISN FOR CUMULATIVE VOTING 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 15. 1948 INVENIONn PA /VSOM F 3L/OMP A Trae/vf ys Patented Feb. 13, 1,951

VOTING MACHINE WITH MECHANISM FOR CUMULATIVE VOTING Ransom F. Shoup, Ardmore, Pa., assgnor to The Shoup Voting Machine Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application March 15, 1948, Serial No. 14,886

11 Claims. l

This invention relates to voting machines and more especially to voting machines of the type covered by Shoup Patent No. 2,054,102.

In some jurisdictions, the election laws provide that with respect to certain ofces, for example, representation in the general assembly each voter has the right to cast from one to three ballots for any candidate and also the voter has the right to distribute his three votes in any manner that he may desire among one to three candidates of his choice. Such provision is for the purpose of properly proportioning and balancing the relative strength of the political parties as it may be indicated in the general assembly. For example, the votery may cast his entire three votes for one candidate, or he may cast one and one-half votes for each of two candidates or he may cast a single vote for each of three of the candidates giving each of them one vote of the three votes allotted to him. To satisfy constitution provisions, the voter also must have the privilege of casting two votes for one candidate and one for another and also must have the privilege of distributing his three votes in any manner that he may desire as Well as have the privilege of personal choice Voting and the privilege of dividing his votes among his personal choice candidates in the same ways. As a further alternative, he must have the privilege of limiting his choice of candidates to a single party or of splitting his vote among candidates of two or more parties in such cases Where he elects to divide his vote rather than to give the three votes to a single candidate. In other instances, the voter may have any other number of votes for distribution as he desires. For a voting machine to handle such type of cumulative voting at elections, it must be capable of being set up in such a manner that by manipulation of various of the voting levers opposite the names of candidates, or of personal choice mechanism or combinations of levers and personal choice mechanism, the voter would be able to distribute his vote in one of the ways just described and be precluded from performing any illegal Voting.

It may be that after a voter has operated the machine to cast the votes to which he is legally entitled, he may attempt to operate one of the spindles which have been locked out as a result of his legal vote. The pressureavailable on such an attempt may provide suflicient leverage to register an illegal vote unless adequate provision is made to nullify the effect of such action.

An object of this invention is to provide mechanism for use in a voting machine of the character mentioned to enable it to be set up in such a manner as to satisfy the requirements just discussed and by which the possibilities of illegal voting of the character described are eliminated.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention Will become apparent from the following specication and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front View of a voting machine in which candidates for three different parties are listed in successive vertical columns to facilitate cumulative voting of the type described for a three vote situation, it being understood that candidates of other parties would be similarly listed in adjoining vertical columns, the said gure further illustrating in part the appearance of the machine as the voter enters the booth;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the machine showing a voters choice wherein he has divided his three Votes evenly in a split ticket giving one and one-half votes to each of two candidates of two diiferent parties by the operation of voting levers or handles;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating a case wherein the voter has voted for three candidates of one party distributing his three votes to give one vote to each of the three candidates by the operation of voting levers or handles;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear view of the frame of the voting machine showing the positions of parts when the voter has voted in the manner set up by the voter in Fig. 2 of the drawing;

Fig. 4A is an enlarged fragmentary View illustrating details of the illegal vote preventing mechanism showing parts in unvoted position;

Fig. 4B is a similar View showing the parts in voted position;

Fig. 5 is a rear view similar to Fig 4 but illustrating the positions of parts when the voter has voted in accordance with the manner set up by him in Fig. 3 of the drawing;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 5; and

Figjl is an enlarged section taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

In so far as practical, the reference characters used herein will correspond to the reference characters used in the specifications of Shoup Voting Machine patents such, for example, as Shoup et al. No. 2,054,102 and Shoup No. 2,191,086.

In the voting machine of Shoup et al. Patent No. 2,054,102, there are ten vertical columns of spindles and a main interlock together with interlock straps for connecting to the main interlock the spindles of columns one to nine counting away from the interlock. Figs. l to 8 inclusive show all ten columns while Figs. 4 and 5 show only the nrst nine of such columns. The interlook straps for the spindles of these columns are of the variable length type shown and described in copending Shoup application, Serial No.`

733,379, issued on August 29, 1950, as Patent Number 2,520,740.

Referring particularly to Fig. G, the spindles 38 are journaled at one end in a plate 39 and at the other end are journaled in vertical straps 40. Each spindle is equipped with an operating handle Sil and is oi square cross section except that it is provided with a circular groove 38a to be received in a circular bearing provided therefor in straps #it and additional similar but narrower circular grooves 38o for other purposes. Each spindle til extends through and supports a channel member til, the ends oi which engage the plate and a strap [it and the channel member 60 is received within square apertures in two arms 59 and 50. A rod 59h extends between and has its ends attached to the arms 5'9 and 59. The plate @isa attached. to each arm 50 through the intermediary of the rod 59h which passes through a hole in arm 5t and, a slot in the plate 59u.. The plate Elta is thrs slidably and rotatably connected to the arm' 59 and is, therefore, capable of being adjusted to diierent positions relative to the arm as fully described in said Patent No. 2,121,085. By reason of the rectangular cross section of the channel member St and its snug fit on the suuare portion ol the spindle it is rmly secured to the spindle for rotation therewith. Likewise, rotation of the said spindle 38 causes rotation of the arms lis and 59. The arms 59 oooperate with their restoringframe 65 as described in said Patent No. 2,054,102 and the arms 59 and plates lita cooperate with vertically and horizonte-.ily movable members |80 and straight ticket voting handles (not shown) in the manner described in said Shoup Patent No. 2,l9l,086.

A counter C is associated with each spindle 38 and is provided with a drive pinion 43 having a square aperture through which extends the square portion of the spindle 38. The counter C prefer ably is of construction described and claimed in the Shoup Patent No. 2,140,336.

Each rod has connected therewith, one end of an interlock or pull strap 5| leading to a main interlock (l2 of a construction described and claimed in Shoup Patent No. 2,191,086. In this interlock 42 are provided a plurality of interlock members 62, certain of which are tubular lor the purpose ol' receiving pins t3 extending through apertures in the interlock casing for the purpose of fastening said members .against movement relative 'to the casing of said interlock 42. Each interlock strap passes between a pair of interlock members 02 and is provided with. a wedge 64 for spreading the two members apart.

In the wall I0, there is provided a vertical column of personal choice slots E39 with a slidable closure for each slot. One of such slots |30 is alined with each of the horizontal rows of spindles 38. in back oi the slots itil is a guide table |4| over which passes a sheet oi' paper |42 from a feed roller |43 to a take-up roller (not shown). A yoke |58 pivotally supported on a vertical rod |50@ is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 6 by movement of any closure Mil to its open position and, when actuated is returned to its original position upon return of the machine to curtain-open position by means (not shown) 4 but fully disclosed in said Shoup Patent No. 2,054,102. yoke i5@ cooperates with mechanism (not shown) to advance the strip |42 a predetermined distance for each actuation of the yoke.

The rod la is supported by brackets |501) attached to a vertical plate i580 in the shape shown in Fig. G, and the plate i590 is provided with a vertical series of apertures constituting guideways for links Iii which at one end are attached to arms |60 pvotally supported by the rod |50a and each link is provided with a pin 6 la connected to an interlock strap Si. Each 0;" the arms |60 is provided with a head its' projecting into a slotted channel shaped runner 222 having a right angle extension attached to a slide 228 supported by the wall I0. Each slide 223 is in alinement with a pere sonal choice slot closure |113 so that movement of a personal choice slot closure into open position swings the arm its counterclockwise with consequent leftward movement of the corresponding link 58| and its associated interlock strap 6| to bring the wedge thereof between the rollers 62. Restoration or any actuated arm |50 and corresponding closure lll-0 is effected by mechanism for that purpose described in the Shoup et al. Patent No. 2,191,086.

On each spindle 38 is located an arm or butterfly B consisting of two plates 8| and 82 having square apertures of proper size snugly to receive the square portion. oi a spindle 38 and the apertures are so arranged that they register with each other only when the plates 6| and 82 are oriented with respect to each other and are out of register when the arms coincide so that they can be locked in desired position on a spindle 38. These arms forming the butterfly B are more particularly described in the copending Shoup application` Serial No. 14,713, filed March 13, 1948, issued on January 3l, 1950 as Patent Number 2,496,106. A stud or nger extends from the butterfly B in a direction parallel with the spindle axes. This stud t5, as described in the last-named application, operates to lock the two plates 8| and 82 together and for other purposes presently to appear.

To satisfy the requirements of specic laws relative to cumulative voting in certain jurisdictions, the counters C of the spindles 3B must be so controlled that a voter by operation of the proper spindles can give his three votes to a chosen party candidate, or give one and one-half votes to each of two party candidates, or give one vote to each of three party candidates with appropriate of the counters C recording such votes in accord with the option afforded the voter, while precluding the possibilities of these counters recording votes in any other manner. Also to satisfy constitutional requirements, the machine must permit a voter to distribute lhis allotted votes as he shall see iit giving any number Athereof to any desired candidate or candidates. The mechanism now to be described satisiies all of these requirements.

This mechanism comprises three plate members 550 of identical construction. Each such plate has a lateral upper flange 550:1 and a lateral lower iiange 55M). Each of theplates has a length suiiicient to span the number of voting columns or rows that it is desired to control. In the embodiment shown, each of said plate members has a length sufficient to span nine columns. Each may, however, be of any desired length so as to span as many of the vertical columns as are actually to be used. Each of the plate members 558 is provided with vertically arranged columns of generally rectangular apertures 55| so that a spindle 38 may pass through each such aperture. The left wall of each aperture 55| has an arcuate recess 552 at the bottom thereof for a purpose of eliminating illegal voting as will be described. Each aperture 55| also receives the pin or stud 85 associated with the buttery B of the spindle 38 passing through the said aperture. The apertures are wide enough to permit necessary rotation of the spindles 38 and their studs 85 from non-voting to voting positions, and long enough to permit required sliding motion of said plates relative to the spindles projecting through the apertures. As seen clearly in Figs. 4 and 4A, the arcuate recess 552 is joined to the vertical portion 553 of left wall by a slanting portion 554 tangent to the arc denning the recess 552. In unvoted positions, each arm B extends downwardly toward the left below a line passing through its spindle axis parallel to the direction of the sliding motion available to the plate. In voted position, this arm extends upwardly to the left above this line. In the embodiment shown, each of the plates 558 has nine vertical rows of apertures 55|, there being three of such apertures 55| in each vertical row. 'Ihe three plates 558 are positioned at the rear of the machine one above the other with one spindle 38 projecting through each of the apertures 55| so that one of three adjacent groups I, II and III of spindles 38 in each of the nine columns (shown in Figs. 3 and 4) is controlled by each of the three plates 550.

Securing and guiding members 555 (Fig. '7) are provided to maintain the plates 558 in sliding relationship on the spindles 38 after they have been positioned thereon as has just been described. Each of these securing members 555 is provided with a pair of vertically alined openings 555a whose centers are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the axes of any adjacent two spindles 38 in a vertical row so that the securing members 555 may be slid onto such pairs of spindles 38 after the positioning of the plate members 558 thereon. A locking arm 556 similar to plate 8| having a square aperture to permit the passage therethrough of one of the spindles 38 is mounted on the top one of the two spindles 38 projecting through the member 555 and then oifset in one of the grooves 38h of the said spindle 3B and locked in such position by means of the stud or pin 551 which is screwed into a threaded hole in the member 555, thereby effectively locking the arm 556 and securing member 555 in place on the spindle 83 and preventing removal ofthe plates 55| from such spindles. Spacing members 558 and guide rollers 558e are supported from member 555 at spaced apart positions by the pins or rivets 558 and extend rearwardly of the latter with one guide roller 558a lying in each of two adjacent apertures 55| of the plate member 55D. The rollers 558:1 are spaced apart by the pins 558 a distance equal substantially to the width of the bridging portion 550e between the apertures 55| into which they extend. These rollers function as guides which prevent material vertical motion of the plate members 550 when positioned on the spindles but permit lateral translation or sliding movement of said plates in a horizontal direction. The spacing members 558 prevent movement of the plate members 550 toward the securing members 555 in the axial direction of spindles 38 while the butterflies B lying just behind the plates 558 prevent similar movement away from the member s 555. Any desired number of securing members may be used with each plate 550.

A biasing spring 568 has its opposite ends 56|Ja and 588k secured respectively to one of the securing members 555 and to the plate 550. One

, biasing spring 56|! is provided for each of the plates 558 and each of the latter is biased normally in the direction toward the right of Figs. 4 and 5 to a fixed position which is the limit of rightward movement permitted by engagement of studs with the arcuate recesses 552. Other equivalent means for effecting this biasing actionv and also for securing the plates 550 in slidablerelationship on the spindles 38 may, of course,l be used instead of the means described.

Each of plates 558 has a right angled flange 'Ihis path of travel of pins Gla of the personal choice: closures alined with the spindles such plate controls. Leftward movement of any of such pins: Gia results in leftward movement of the plate,.

the flange 585 of which it engages.

'Ihe interlock straps 6I of all the group I' spindles and personal choice slides alined therewith are connected in a group I portion of the main interlock 42 which is set up for one vote condition. The interlock straps 6| of all the group II spindles and personal choice slides alined therewith are connected in a group II portion of the main interlock 42 which is set up for a v-ote two condition. The interlock straps 6| of all the group III spindles and personal choice slides alined therewith are connected in a group III portion of the main interlock 42 which is set up for a vote three condition, all for the purposes to be described.

A supplementary interlock 42 of substantially similar construction to the main interlock 42 is secured to one side of the machine, for example,

the right-hand side as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.'

This supplementary interlock 42' has a plurality of interlock members 82', certain of which are tubular for the purpose of receiving pins 63 extending through apertures in the supplementary interlock casing for the purpose of fastening said tubular member 62 against movement relative to the casing. An interlock strap 8| has one of its ends connected to one of the plates 558 and its other end is provided with a wedge 64'. There are three such interlock straps 6| provided, one for each of the plates 558. Each of these three interlock straps 6| passes between a pair of the interlock members 62 so that the wedge 64' on any one of the three may be moved to spread such interlock members 82 apart. The supplementary interlock 42 is set up for one vote conditions. It thereby prevents similar movement of the wedges 84 of the other twoofsaid inter lock straps, thereby locking out the plates 550; connected to said other two interlock straps. In consequence, the shifting of any one of the three plates 556 toward the left of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 in` a manner presently to be described will lock out;

vthe other two such plates 556 and prevent oper-` ation of spindles 38 upon which such two plates; are positioned, thereby providing for voting in accordance with the requirements set forth atv the outset of this specification.

In the normal position of the parts when a Voter enters the booth and observes the set-up shown in Fig. 1 before any of the individual` voting handles 38 has been actuated, all three of the plates 55|! lie at their extreme right-handpositions under the biasing action of their re..

ample, three votes course, have voted for any other single candi- 7 spective` biasing springsr 55.5; In such condition, the butteries B of the respective spindles 38 all lie in lowered positions, ior example, the position of the buttery B in Fig. 4A. The pin or stud` of such butterily B then lies in the arcuate recess 552 below a line passing through its spindle parallel to the direction oi sliding motion of plates 550. Ii the voter desires to cast all three of his votes for one of the three candidates listed inA the upper group I in the first column of Fig. l, for example, Smith, he rotates the voting handle 3G opposite the name of Smith in group Ito voting position. The rotation of this voting handle 35 to this position rotates its spindle 3.8' and its butterfly B to a raised position above said line as seen in 4B to cause a lateral shift or slide of the uppermost plate 550 transversely ofl the spindle axis and toward the left-against the action of its biasing spring 560. This movement of plate 55B occurs because rotation ofthe particular spindle 38 causes its stud 875 to move out of its arcuate recess 552 against the biasing action of spring 56S exerting a thrust rst on the slanting wall 553 and then on the straight portion 554 of the left side of the aperture 55| of the particular spindle 38. This same action causes the interlock strap E of the upper' plate 550 to move toward the left to bring its wedge 64 into a spreading position between two of the interlock members G2. At the same time the interlock strap 6| actuated by the arm 59 and the rod 591) of the rotated voting spindle will cause its wedge 6.4 to move into spreading apart position between two of the interlock members 52 in the group I portieri of the main interlock 42 wh-ich isset up for one vote operation, thereby precluding further operation of any of the other spindles 3i! in the uppermost or group I rows of spindles or any of the personal choice closures |4 of group I to an open position. The described movement of the interlock strap 6| of the uppermost plate 555 in relation to supplementary interlock 42 which is also set up for one vote operation, similarly locks out the two lower plates 5543 against longitudinal shift because theY wedges of their interlock straps 61| cannot now enter between a pair of interlock members 62. rIhis `prechides the operation of any of the spindles allocated to any of the groups II and III of spindles bearing the said two lower plates 555i because the studs S on the butterflies B of these spindles are engaged in the arcuate recesses oi the two lower plates 550 which are locked against movement. Also because pins Sla of the group II and group III personal choice closures lli!! engage anges 565 of the group II and group III plates 550, said closures are locked out against any opening movement. The voter, therefore, is precluded from casting any additional votes .other than the single vote he has effected by movement of the one voting handle @il in group I which has had the effect of casting, for exfor Smith. He could, of

lname of such candidate on the paper |42 under the opened slot. This action would cause leftlward movement of pin Bla of the closure opened vand leftward movement of the upper or group I plate 550 locking out the other two plates 55D. The leitward movement of the particular pin E|a would also draw the` interlock strap 5| connected thereto into interlock ||2` and lock out all spindles 33m group I and the other two personal choice closures |40 slides of this group.

Should the voter instead desire to cast one and one-half votes, for each of two candidates, he must utilize the spindles 3|) in group II or two personal choice closures !45 alined with group II. For example, to give one and` one-half votes to the party Brown and one and one-half votes to the party Lee, both of whose names appear in group II' under different party headings, he manipulates the voting spindles 3E) opposite these two names in group II of Fig. 2. The group II portion of the main interlock 42 is set up for two vote operation as described. The interlock straps 6| of all the spindles 38 and personal choice clo.- sures |45 allocated to group II are all connected to the two vote (group II) portion of the main interlock 42 so that any two and only two such spindles, or any two and only two rpersonal choice closures alined with group II spindles or one spindle and one personal choice closure of group II can be operated by the voter. The operation oi the first spindle in group II, by virtue of the interaction of the stud on its .butteriiy B or the operation of the rst personal choice closure |49 in group II by action of its pin Gla, has the effect of shifting the second or intermediate plate 55B tothe left against the action of its biasing spring 550, as shown in 4, causing the interlock strap 6| of the latter plato 559 to move into locking position with respect to the supplementary interlock 42. Since the latter is set up for one vote operation, the two plates 555 of the groups I and III are locked out and this precludes any operation of any voting spindle 38 or any personal choice closure |46 allocated to either of said two groups I and III. The voter then may vote for a second candidate in group II but no more. He can then operate one more spindle .38, or one more personal choice closure of group II-but only one of them to record an additional vote. Thus, the voter is able only to vote for 'two candidates in group II giving each one and one-half Votes and is unable in any way to cast additional votes for any other candidate. The position of the voting handles 3i! of the two candidates Brown and Lee, for example,l for whom the voter has cast his vote, as shown in Fig. 2, operates their spindles 38 to move their butterflies E to their vote indicating positions shown in Fig. 4 in the columns marked 2 and 3 and shifts the plate 55|) of. said group II to the position shown in Fig. 4. One and one-half votes for each is the result.

On the other hand, should the voter decide to vote for three candidates giving each one vote, or desire to give two votes to one and a third for another, he must utilize the spindles 3B or personal choice closures in group III as set up on the voting machine. The group III portion of the main interlock is set up for three vote operation as described. The interlock straps 5| of all the spindles of group III and personal choice closures |40 alined therewith are all connected to three vote (group III) portion of the main interlock 42 so that any three of said spindles 38 or any two thereof one personal choice closure |40, or any one thereof and any two personal choice closures |40, or all three personal choice closures of this group III can be operated by the voter to record three votes. The operation of the first one of any of the voting handles 30 in group III 9 ,Y causes its butteriiy B as seen in Fig. to be rotated from a normal lowered position to the raised voting position shown in Fig. 5, wherein its stud 85 has moved out of the arcuate portion 552 onto the straight portion of the left wall of aperture 55| and has caused a longitudinal shift to the left as seen in Fig. 5 of the plate 555 associated. with group III. A movement of any one of the three personal choice closures i453 of group III by action of the pin 5|a associated 'therewith will cause a similar shift to the left of plate 555 of group III. This longitudinal shift of the said group III plate 550 toward the left has caused its interlock strap El 'to move toward the left and has drawn its wedge into a spreading position between a pair of interlock members 62 of the supplementary interlock 42'. Such action eiectively locks the other two plates 553 of groups I and II against movement and precludes operation of any of the voting spindles 33 or personal choice closures |40 allocated to groups I and II. Thus, the voter after having operated one of the spindles or one of the personal choice closures |55 of group III cannot operate any spindle of personal choice closure allocated to either of groups I or II. IIe may, however, still cast two more votes in group III either by rotating two additional voting spindles 38 in the group III or operating two more personal choice closures |45 of this group III or operating one more spindle and one more personal choice closure I4@ of this group III so as to cast two additional votes one for each of two more candidates, for example, the candidates David and Brown in group III, column 2 of Fig.

3. As soon as these two additional votes are cast, i

the interaction of the main interlock straps 6l of this group III with the main interlock 42 precludes further operation of any additional group III spindles or personal choice closures of this group.

With the mechanism consisting of the three plates 555 and the supplementary interlock 42', it thus becomes possible for a voter to select one candidate only of any party or a personal choice candidate and give him three votes or to select any two candidates of the parties running or personal choice candidates giving each one and one-half votes, or to select any three candidates of the parties running or personal choice candidates giving each one vote. With respect to the latter two selections, the voter may split his ticket as desired not'J being restricted to choosing all the candidates of a single party and may, in fact, give one candidate two votes and another one vote if he desires. Should the voter desire, instead, to exercise the latter option, he would use the group III spindles and/ or personal choice closures of this group. To give one party candidate two votes he would operate the voting spindle opposite that candidates name in group III to voting position and then operate a personal closure |40 of group III to an open position to expose the paper |42 and write in the same candidates name. He then can operate either another spindle or another .personal choice clo sure to give one additional vote to another candidate. He could give a personal choice candidate two votes by operating two personal choice closures |451 of group III to open position and writing the same candidates'name twice once in the .paper exposed by each personal choice closure. Then he could cast one more vote for another candidate by operating either a spindle in group III or the third personal choice closure |40 of group III. The position of the write-in iii votes on the paper |42 exposed by opening movement of the said personal choice closures indicates the number of votes to be accorded to the write-in candidate. If it lies in the group I position he gets three votes; if in the group II position one and one-half votes and if in the group III position then one vote each time his name appears. l

It may happen that after a voter has operated a personal choice closure |46) to draw the wedge of the personal choice interlock strap 6| into main interlock 42 or after he has operated one of the spindles of the three groups, that he may attempt to operate one or more of the spindles associated with the locked out plates 559 of the groups which he may not then use legally. Such attempts `would. result in pressure being applied to the locked out plates 55E! with which such spindles are associated tending to move them to permit suiiicient rotation of the improperly operated. spindles to operate the counters associated therewith', thereby allowing the voter to vote for more candidates than he is legally enN titled to. The arcuate recesses 552, however, decrease the leverage which a voter can apply to any of the three plates 553 through procedure as above described, thereby eliminating the possibility of buckling of the plates 5553 and of any illegal voting operations in the machine. The securing members 555 also serve to prevent outward movement of the plates 55@ which might result in enough p-lay to permit improper operation of the spindles 3B. The provision, therefore, of the arcuate recesses 552 and the securing members 555 or their equivalents isvof vital importance in order to provide a practical machine in which illegal voting is absolutely prevented.

Should the voter change his mind after setting up his votes, either all spindle operated or a mixture of spindle and personal choice votes, if he has voted only by using spindles, he could change his entire vote by restoring all actuated voting handles to original condition and start over again since the biasing springs would then restore all plate members 55!! to initial condition. If, however, he has mixed spindle votes and personal choice votes, he can only change the spindle votes by restoring the handles of the voted spindles to unvoted-position and operating other voting handles 30 in the same group corresponding in number to the restored number of handles, or operate previously unused `personal choice closures I4!) in the same group limited to the remainder of the total he is entitled to actuate in the particular group. I-Ie co-uld, of course, erase a previously written-in name and write another in its place.

Were the situation such that the voter had a vote four cumulative choice, the plates 555 would each have vertical columns of four apertures 55| and each plate would overlie four horizontal rows of spindles. Four such plates would then be required and four group-s of names in each vertical column would have to be set up on the front face of the voting machine. Similarly, if he had a vote ve cumulative choice, the plates 550 would each have vertical columns of rive apertures and each plate would overlie ve horizontal rows of spindles. Five such plates would then be required. In other words, the number of plates required corresponds to the votes available to the voter and the number "of apertures re.. quired in each such plate corresponds to the same number of votes. Similarly, the number of groups vof names yset up on the face of the machine corresponds to the same number of votes. With respect to the apertures 55! each is also of suicent length to permit mechanical adjustment of parts such as arms 59 and 59 behind the plates 55B without the necessity of removing the plates. Each, of course, is of sufficient width or height to permit rotation of the voting spindles 33 from unvoted to voted positions.

While specific embodiments of the Vinvention have been described, variations in detail and in the scope of the claims are possible and are contemplated. There is no intention, therefore, of limitationv to the exact details shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. In a voting machine, voting spindles, butterflies, one secured to each spindle, a linger on each butterfly extending parallel to the spindle axis, and `mechanism for cumulative voting cA prising -plate members, slidable at right 4angles to .said spindles, each plate `member Ahaving ver-- tical columns of apertures for passage through each of one of said spindles and one of said lingers, said plate members being independently slidable by the 4action of any one of the fingers of any one of the spindles 4associated with such plate member upon rotation of such spindle to vote indicating position, the number of plate members and the number of apertures in the vertical columns of each plate member correspo' fling to Ythe votes available to the voter, a in interlock, interlock straps, one coupling finger with said main interlock, a supplementary interlock, interlock straps, one coupling each of said plate members with said supplementary interlock, biasing means for Yeach plate member for `biasing it in a determined `direction and means for -precluding illegal `voting upon attempted operation of any spindles Ylocked `out by locked rout plates by actuation of the machine in accord with the vote available to the voter said last named means including an arcuate re cess in each aperture in which the finger passing through such aperture is normally positioned in the unvoted condition of its voting spindle by the action of said biasing means, slanting surface adjoining the arcuate recess inclined toward the axis of the spindle ing Vthrough the aperture from a point below r `and to one side `of the said axis and a `straight surface adjoining said slanting surface.

2. In a device as per claim 1 securing means for substantially precluding movement of said plate members longitudinally of the spindles and for guiding said plate members on the spindles over which they are mounted for sliding `motion transversely of the spindle axes, said securing means comprising securing members, and guide rollers rotatably attached .to said .securing members and engageable with portions of said plate members.

3. In a device as per claim 2 in which said guide rollers are spaced apart, each extending into a different one of the apertures and into engagement with a wall portion thereof.

4. In a voting machine, voting spindles, arms, one secured to each spindle, a nger on each arm extending parallel to the spindle axes, and mechanism for cumulative voting comprising members slidable at right angles to said spindles, each member having apertures for passage through each of one of said spindles and one of said lingers, said members each being independently slidable at right angles to the axes iii) .against vote `indicating rotation, said main interlock being coupled to the said spindles to prevent voting operation of more than a selected number of the spindles relative to which the moved of said plate members is slidable, and said apertures each having a recess in which the finger passing therethrough normally engages to reduce leverages available sufficiently upon attempted actuation of any locked out spindles to preclude all illegal voting, a slanting surface adjoining the recess and inclined toward the axis of the spindle passing through the aperture from a point below and to one side. of said axis and a straight surface adjoining said slanting surface.

5. In a voting machine, rows of voting spindles, a butterfly fixed to each spindle, a finger on each butterfly extending parallel to the spindle axis, a plate member slidable at right angles to said spindles and having apertures through each of which one of said spindles passes, said plate member being slidable by the action of one of said fingers upon rotation of its spindle to vote indicating position, a main interlock, interlock straps one connecting each spindle with said main interlock, a supplementary interlock, and an interlock strap connecting said plate member with said supplementary interlock, additional identical plate members slidable at right angles to said spindles and each having apertures for passage through each of other ones of said spindles, and additional interlock straps. one of the latter interlock straps connecting each of said identical plate members with said supplementary interlock whereby operation of any of said spindles to a vote indicating position will slide the plate member borne thereon to a .position relative to the supplementary interlock that will lock the other identical plate members against movement and thereby lock out and preclude vote indication movement of all spindles associated with the locked out plate members, said apertures each having an arcute wall portion, a slanting wall portion adjoining the arcuate portion and inclined toward the axis of the spindle passing through the aperture from a point below and to one side of the latter axis, and a straight wall portion adjoining the slanting wall portion, the finger passing through each such aperture in the unvoted condition of its spindle normally lying in contact with the arcuate wall portion of such aperture and being required in the movement of the latter named spindle to voting position to move over the slanting wall portion onto the straight wall portion `of its aperture in order to slide the plate member bearing the latter aperture to lock out the other plate members and thereby preclude illegal voting operation of spindles associated with the locked out plate members.

6. In a voting machine, voting spindles, arms, one secured to each spindle, a linger on each arm extending parallel to the spindle axis, and mechanism for cumulative voting comprising plate members slidable at right angles to said spindles, each plate member having apertures 13 for passage 'through each aperture of vone spindle of a group of said spindles, said plate members each being independently slidable relative to the spindles of a group passing through plate member apertures by the action ofany one of the ngers of any one of such group of spindles upon rotation of such spindle to vote indicating position7 biasing means for the plate members for biasing each to a determined position, a main interlock, inteilock straps, one coupling each spindle of the groups of said spindles with said main interlock, a supplementary interlock, supplementary interlock straps, one coupling each oi said plate members with said supplementary interlock, said supplemental interlock being set up to permit sliding movement of only one of said plate members at a time away from the determined position, and to lock out the others of said plate members, and said main interlock being set up to preclude operation by the voter to a vote indicating position of more than a fixed number of the spindles of the group of such spindles passing through apertures, in the moved of said plate members, said apertures each having an arcuate wall portion, a slanting wall portion adjoining the arcuate portion and inclined toward the axis of the spindle passing through the aperture from a point below and to one side of the latter axis, and a straight wall portion adjoining the slanting wall portion, the finger passing through each such aperture in the unvoted condition of its spindle normally lying in contact with the arcuate wall portion of such aperture and being required in the movement of the latter l named spindle to voting position to move over the slanting wall portion onto the straight wall portion of its aperture in order to slide the plate member bearing the latter aperture to lock out the other plate members and thereby preclude illegal voting operation of spindles associated with l' the locked out plate members.

7, In a voting machine havingV a plurality of spindles and means for limiting the extent of rotation of each spindle between voted and unvoted positions, mechanism for conditioning said machine for cumulative voting with said spindles divided into a plurality of multiple spindle groups, said mechanism comprising a plate for each group supported for reciprocation transversely of the axes of said spindles between a first position and a second position, means yfor biasing each plate for movement into its first position, each said platehaving a plurality of apertures having surfaces perpendicular to its direction of reciprocation, a plurality of arcuate surfaces and a plurality of slanting surfaces one joining each arcuate surface with one of the first named surfaces, a finger carried by each spindle for projecting through an aperture and for engagement with a said arcuate surface each said slanting surface being inclined toward the axis of the spindle passing through the respective aperture from a point below and to one side of the latter spindle said finger being movable from such engagement over a slanting surface and onto a said perpendicular surface to effect movement of said plate from its first position to its second position and partially hack toward its first position under the influence of said biasing means upon movement of said spindle from its unvoted position to its voting position, said nger being so arranged with respect to the spindle axis that in unvoted position of the spindle the finger lies on one side of line passing through the spindle axis parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said plate and against the arcuate surface and lies on the opposite side of said line in the voted position of said spindle, passing over the said slanting surface in its movement to the voted position, an auxiliary interlock for the set of plates responsive to actuation of one plate to prevent actuation of any remaining plate, and another interlock for the group of spindles associated with each plate effective upon actuation of a predetermined number of spindles of said group.

8. In a voting machine having a plurality of spindles and means for limiting the extent of rotation of each spindle between voted and unvoted position, mechanism for conditioning said machine for cumulative voting with said spindles divided into a plurality of multiple spindle groups, said mechanism comprising a plate for each group supported for reciprocation transversely of the axes of said spindles between a rst position and a second position and biased for movement intoV said first position, biasing means for the plate, said plate having a plurality of apertures having surfaces perpendicular to its direction of reciprocation, a plurality of arcuate surfaces and a plurality of slanting surfaces one joining each arcuatesurface with one of the first named surfaces, a finger carried by each spindle for Iprojecting through an aperture and for engagement with each said slanting surface being inclined toward axis of the spindle passing through the respective aperture from a point below and to one side of the axis of the latter-named spindle, a said arcuate surface and movable from such engagement over a said slanting surface and onto a said perpendicular surface to effect movement of said plate from its first position to its second position and partially back toward its first position under the influence of said biasing means upon movement of said spindle from its unvoted position to its voting position, said finger being so arranged with respect to the spindle axis that in unvoted position of the spindle the finger lies on one side of a line passing through the spindle axis parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said plate and against the arcuate surface and lies on the opposite side of said line in the voted position of said spindle, passing over the said slanting surface in its movement to the voted position, a group of personal choice slide members for each group of spindles, means for effecting movement of a plate from its first to its second position upon actuation of a personal choice slide member allocated thereto, a supplemental interlock for the set of plates responsive to actuation of one plate to prevent actuation of any remaining plate, and a main interlock having a different individual auxiliary interlock portion for the set of spindle and slide members associated with each plate effective upon actuation of a predetermined number of members of said set, each auxiliary interlock portion being arranged to permit the actuation of a number of spindle and slide members of its set different from any other set, and said arcuate and slanting surfaces serving to minimize plate moving pressure available to a voter for operation of the ngers of the spindles allocated to the plates whose actuation is prevented upon any attempts to move the latter spindles to voted positions thereby preventing illegal voting.

9. ln a voting machine having a spindle and means for limiting the extent of rotation of said spindle about its axis between voted and unvoted positions, a plate supported for reciprocation transversely of the axis of said spindle between vbiasing said plate for movement into said first position, said plate having an aperture with a 'surface perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of the plate, an arcuate surface, and a slanting surface joining the arcuate surface with said perpendicular surface, a finger carried by said spindle for engagement with said arcuate surface in the first position of said plate member, said slanting surface being inclined toward the axis of said spindle from a point below and to one side of the axis of said spindle, and said iinger being `movable from its engagement with said arcuate surface over said slanting surface and onto said perpendicular surface to effect movement of saidplate member from its first position to its second position and partially back towards its first position under the influence of said biasing -means upon movement of said spindle from its unvoted position to its voted position, said finger being so arranged with respect to the spindle axis that in unvoted position of the spindle the finger lies on one side of a line passing through the spindle axis parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said plate and against the arcuate surface and lies on the opposite side of said line in the voted position of said spindle and against said perpendicular surface.

10. In a voting machine, a voting spindle inovable between unvoted and voted positions, a finger connected to said spindle and extending parallel to the axis of the spindle, and a plate member slidable at right angles to said spindle, said plate member having an aperture for passage through it of said spindle and said finger, said aperture having a wall substantially perpendicular to the direction 0f slide of said plate member, an arcuate wall and a slanting wall joining the perpendicular wall to the arcuate wall and being inclined toward the axis of said spindle from a point below and to one side of said axis, biasing means for biasing said walls toward said iinger and said finger being positioned relative to said spindle so as to lie in contact with said arcuate wall in the unvoted position of said spindle and being movable along said slanting `wall and onto said perpendicular wall in movement of said spindle from unvoted to voted position for effecting a sliding movement of vsaid plate member at right angles to said spindle.

l1. In a voting machine, voting spindles each movable between unvoted and voted positions, fingers one connected to each spindle and each extending parallel to the axis of the spindle to which it is connected, plate members slidable at right angles to said spindles, said plate members each having apertures for passage through each of one of a selected group of said spindles and of the finger connected therewith, each aperture having a wall substantially perpendicular to the diiection of slide of the plate member bearing it, an arcuate wall and 'slanting wall joining the perpendicular wall to the arcuate wall and being inclined toward the axis of the spindle passing through the particular aperture from a point below and to one side of said axis, biasing means for biasing the walls of such aperture toward the particular finger passing through such aperture, each finger being positioned relative to its spindle so as to lie in contact with the arcuate wall of the aperture through which it passes in the unvoted positions of said spindles and being movable along the slanting wall of its aperture and onto the perpendicular Wall of its aperture in movement of the spindle with which it is connected from unvoted to voted position for effecting a sliding movement of the plate bearing the aperture of the latter spindle at right 'angles to the latter spindle.

RANSOM F. SHOUP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Shoup May 25, 1943 

